AN: Hello ladies, gentlemen, and others, how is your day going so far? Good? Good. Well, this is my first Hunger Games story on Fanfiction, definitely not my first story, but it is my first attempt at creating a story from the brilliant book Suzanne Collins wrote. Let me say, she is a genius! This is honestly my one source of entertainment in the world right now. So, here's the first chapter of "Dare to Breathe". I hope you enjoy it! Comment if you want and make sure to give me your feedback! Thanks to you all!

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Hunger Games" or anything in it. That honor goes to Suzanne Collins. I do, however, own my OC and her family/friends and anything else I make up!

Dare to Breathe
Chapter 1: Take me Away

Life is a sacred thing. It's made in love and destroyed in hate. There's something about life that is beautiful and bright. When I was a mere six years old I watched my little sister's eyes peak open to see the world around her for the first time. I wonder what she thought of us all. We must have looked like strange creatures closing in around her. We were crowding her in a way. For us, it was protective but by the way I remember her screaming I don't think she shared our enthusiasm. Now that I think about it, I wonder what I thought of everyone crowding in around me, enclosing me in their warmth. Was I as frightened? Mother once told me that I was so quiet, the doctor thought I was dead. Then he heard me suck in my first breath and wondered what was wrong with me. Why didn't I cry? I probably hated the sound. I can imagine loathing the coldness I felt. Loathing the ugly lumps and blurs of faces around me. Well, that's how I feel now. As I hear my name called by a shrill voice from a distant place I feel as I did 15 years ago when I first entered this world. Cold, afraid, and alone.

I felt a gentle nudge on my shoulder and it brought me back to my harsh reality.

"Go Viena. They called your name," the shaky voice ushered. My best friend Lana pushed me once again. I could hear the fear in her voice and I could sense the sadness in the way she pushed me. She clutched my hand for a few seconds before I forced my feet to move forward, towards Antoinette, District 4's escort. Her hand reached out for me, a pale blue, and my first instinct is to flinch away but I merely ignored it and climbed the stairs to my imminent doom. Dramatic I know but in my mind I know I will never return home after this. In a few moments I will be on my way to the annual 74th Hunger Games. My palms were sweaty and my eyes were brimming with tears but there was no possible way I would let them spill. Not in front of the cameras. Not in front of the whole world to see. I was stronger than that. I was Viena Lane and I'll be damned if I'm caught crying in front of all of Panem.

The crowd stood in silence. They all stared at me in sadness, sending me their prayers. The silence was haunting. I almost hated it more then screaming. I'd rather noise then silence. Silence... it's demeaning. I can recall the first time I remember true silence. It was right after my sister's birth when the doctor came out to tell us I had a little sister. He also told us that I no longer had a mother. Silence. There were no tears shed at first. All I remember was noise was absent from the cold room.

This couldn't have been more like it. I felt like everyone was just staring at me with pure sympathy. I didn't want it! I wish I could yell at them to stop but that would only be followed by even more sympathetic glances.

Only a few moments went by while we waited for someone to volunteer for me. No one even attempted to raise their voice to save me. My hope was shattered and I sunk into my body, ignoring the world around me. I noticed the way the trees swayed. I listened to the water rush beyond me, down the hill. Oh how I wanted to just lose myself within it. To just float weightlessly on its buoyant surface.

I was distracted by Antoinette's high heel shoes clanking on the cement ground surface. She smiled at the crowd and reached into the bowl of boys names. She did it in an almost teasing manner. She would almost grab one when suddenly she would pull back. It took her at least half a minute to finally pick a name.

She unfolded the small, thin piece of paper and everyone stopped breathing. I could see all the boys tense up and I couldn't stop staring. Who would I have to kill? Would I even dare?

"Alec Harding!" her shrill voice echoed through the streets and all of us looked at a small curly haired boy. Good god, he couldn't be any older then 12... All the parents eyes dropped to the floor. The couldn't even be decent enough to offer the strength they gave me. They knew there was no way he was going to come back. A victor at his age was pretty much unheard of. At least I had a 15% chance. His was more like 2%. My heart went out to the boy. I didn't know anything about him but I suddenly, right there and then, made it my objective to make his next few days the best days of his life. I was going to help his as much as I possibly could and that was that.

"Here are your 74th annual Hunger Games tributes! Give them a round of applause!" Antoinette squealed into the microphone in front of her. The reaction wasn't as exciting as District 1 and 2's probably was but everyone was kind enough to simply clap quietly. I would have rather them just stayed silent. Why give strength to something so awful as these games? There was no point.

Antoinette and some peacekeepers pulled both Alec and I back into the hall where we would be kept until our leave to the Capitol on the train. They pushed me into a small empty room and Alec to the one across from mine. I saw one last glimpse of his face, completely horrified, before they closed the door in my face.

I stepped over to a bench by the only small, insignificant window in the corner, and sat down. I was already mentally exhausted. Thoughts of horror raced through my mind. I just wanted this to be over already and it hadn't even started. This was going to be a long haul...

It was about ten minutes before the door opened again. My little sister and aunt strolled in. Draya's eyes were blood red from crying and her face was as pale of summer clouds. I held out my arms to her and her little 9 year old form raced over and simply melted into mine. Her skinny arms wrapped around my neck as she sat on my lap. I held her as close to me as possible. She was my only close family, other then my aunt, that I still had left in this world. When dad died six years ago from a storm out at sea, my sister and I have been living with my aunt. It wasn't preferable but it was living. I was never really close to my aunt per say. She gave me food. I said thank you and we left each other alone. Draya was always kind to her but I merely tolerated her. I believe it's because I remember both of my parents much better then my little sister did.

"Everything's going to be okay bumblebee..." I whispered into her hair. I felt her tears start to soak my shirt. She shook her head violently against me.

"I don't want you to leave. What if you never come back!" she mumbles in between gentle sobs. I stroke her hair and look up at my aunt. She stares at me, void of all emotion. It's then that I finally let a tear fall. I whip it quickly and she nods at me. She knows just as well as I do that I should be as brave as I can infront of Draya. I can't, no, I refuse to show how absolutely terrified I am on the inside.

"I will come back," I push her away from me so I can look her straight in the eye. She trembles beneath me and my heart breaks for her. "Do you hear me? I will come back."

She attempts to stop crying but nods her head at me. The door opens once again and they pull her away from me before they are both ushered out. I was alone... Lana wouldn't come and see me. We'd known each other since birth but she wouldn't have the guts to come and say goodbye to me. I inhaled a trembling breath and sat back down. I stared at the door until a peacekeeper came in to escort me to the train. There I met back up with Antoinette and Alec. She ushered us excitedly onto the train and into our compartment.

It was stunning, I had to give it that. The amount of different colors and the furniture was absolutely gorgeous. I hated capitol clothing but the design of furniture was pure genius. I glanced over at Antionette and my face scrunched up in disgust. She was wearing this bright orange dress that flared at the bottom, her skin this pale blue with light orange tattoos all over her arms in this intricate pattern and her hair was so white it scared me. Her eyelashes had little stars at the end and her lipstick was bright pink. Who dressed these people? A blind monkey? Goodness gracious.. They better not put me in stuff like this. I'd rather run around naked then be caught dead in that.

I learned at a very young age that I didn't agree with anything the capitol did. The games were the worst but the people who lived there are pretty much brainwashed to look like certified idiots. I almost felt bad for them but the key word here is almost.

I sat down into a lime green chair next to alec and Antoinette stood gracefully in front of us. She stood straight and tall, acting like the queen of the world.

"Now, aren't you both so excited? I know I am! This should be an amazing Hunger Games! I remember last year, goodness, was that a good year! Hard to beat! But don't you worry, I'm sure both of you will do so much better! I'm bett-" she was cut off abruptly.

"Antoinette, may I have a word with the tributes, please?" a strong, deep voice asked from behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. It was our mentor, Finnick Odair. I pulled an elastic from around my wrist and pulled my hair into a ponytail. I had known Finnick for the past couple of years but yet he still flustered me every time I saw him. We met one day when I ran into him in the district square. He said some corny pick up line and I laughed in his face. We've been friends ever since, go figure, huh?

Annie, Finnick's girl, is also one of my favorite people in the world. She's been pretty messed up since she won her own Hunger Games but she's an amazing listener. I always used to go to the Victors square just to see Annie and Finnick. They always seemed to be able to make my day a little bit brighter.

"Of course! I'll see you two later! May the odds be ever in your favor!" with that, Antoinette finally left. Thank you Finnick Odair. He walked over and sat in the chair in front of both of us.

"Alright you two, now that the she-devil is gone we can talk business," he joked as he flashed one of his award winning smiles. I smirked at him then rolled my eyes. He always thought he was just the best thing since sliced bread.

"Now, I'm going to be your only mentor this year so you're going to have to listen to everything I say. That doesn't mean you have to follow it, but I did win these games once so you might as well at least listen to what I have to say. Any questions?" Finnick finished, looking at me.

Alec shook his head while I attempted to do the same but looking at Finnick was just too much to bare. Not in the way that he was so attractive that it was killing me but the feeling that this next week may be the last time I ever get to see his face at all... he's my last real connection to home other than Alec and the realization is suffocating me.

"Good, why don't you go to bed Alec? I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early okay?" Alec smiled and raced off to explore then sleep in bliss. I always believed that the younger generation sent here always had it easier. Sure, they knew what they were going into. That they would probably die but it felt more like an adventure to him, while to me, this train was leading me right to my death bed.

When the door closed behind Alec, Finnick was up and holding before I could even comprehend what was happening and tears were streaming down my face before I could even attempt to stop them. By body was raking with sobs and I couldn't control it. Finnick lifted me off the floor and I pulled me as close to him as possible. I felt him carry me somewhere and then I felt him sit down on a nearby couch. I was now sitting in his lap and laying in his arms and he was holding me so tight. For minutes, we didn't move, we didn't speak, he just held me into him while I cried out all my tears.

Finally when I could control myself he started to loosen his grip on me and began to stroke my hair down as I started to breathe in gasps. My hands were still clasped securely behind his neck. I was terrified that he was going to leave me to deal with this alone.

"I-I can't do thi-is..." I croaked out between gasps of air as I tried to control myself. I felt his one arm that was still around me tighten and he put his mouth right next to me ear.

"Yes you can Viena. I am going to get you out of this thing alive if it is the last thing I do," he whispered completely determined. I nodded my head weakly. I felt him kiss my forehead before I passed out in his arms. The day was finally over.

AN: Soo, what did you all think? It's going pretty good so far in my opinion! The next chapter will be posted super soon! We get to hang in the capitol next and Viena gets to meet Cato. Yay! Who's excited? I am! So, comment if you wish to do so, it would be extremely appreciated! Thank you all for reading! Peace out! - Jenna